Short answer: The easiest way to meet new people for drinks in Malta is to join, or host, a small, specific plan: an after-work drink in Valletta, a sunset drink on the Sliema front, a relaxed round in St Julian’s. With MeetNow, a host posts the plan at a real public place with the date, time, seats and who pays, people ask to join with a short note, and the host picks who comes. Drinks do not have to mean alcohol either: coffee, juice and mocktails count.
This page covers why drinks make such a good first plan, plan ideas that suit Malta, how to handle who pays for rounds, and how to stay safe. New to the app? Start with how MeetNow works.
Why drinks make a good first plan
A drink is the lowest-commitment way to meet someone new. It is short, it happens somewhere busy and public, and it is easy to leave after one if the conversation is not flowing, or to stay for another if it is. Nobody has to plan a whole evening, cook, or commit to a long activity with people they have only just met.
For newcomers to Malta in particular, a drink is often the first step to a wider circle. One relaxed round with three or four people can turn into a dinner plan, a padel game or a regular meet-up.
Drinks plan ideas in Malta
The best drinks plans name an area, a time and a small number of seats. These are examples of how a plan might look, not real listings; pick a real public bar, café or terrace you know.
After-work drink in Valletta
Valletta’s centre is compact and easy to reach, which makes it a natural meeting point after work. A plan like “After-work drink in Valletta, Thursday at 18:30, 3 seats, pay your own” is clear, short and easy to say yes to.
Sunset drink on the Sliema front
The seafront between Sliema and St Julian’s has plenty of cafés and terraces looking out over the water. “Sunset drink on the Sliema front, Sunday at 18:00, 4 seats, pay your own” works for people who prefer something relaxed and outdoors.
A round in St Julian’s
St Julian’s is one of the island’s busiest areas for going out. If you host a plan here, name a specific, well-known public place rather than “somewhere in Paceville”, so everyone finds each other easily.
Coffee or mocktails instead
Not everyone drinks alcohol, and nobody should feel they have to. A plan for coffee, fresh juice or mocktails is just as good a way to meet people. Saying so in the plan, for example “coffee or a soft drink, no pressure to drink”, helps the right people ask to join.
Who pays for drinks?
Rounds are where drinks plans with new people can get awkward. On MeetNow, the host chooses one of four options and it is shown on the plan, so everyone knows before they ask to join:
- Pay your own: the simplest choice for drinks. Everyone orders and pays for their own.
- Split: the group shares the bill, which suits a shared bottle or a few rounds.
- Host pays: the host covers the guests’ drinks, which works best for a small plan, such as one coffee for two.
- Free: rarely used for drinks, but possible, for example a meet-up on a public promenade before heading somewhere.
MeetNow does not handle payments, so whatever the label says is settled at the bar. For a first drinks plan, “pay your own” is usually the most comfortable for everyone. The guide to hosting a plan on MeetNow explains how to set this up.
How to set up a drinks plan
- Choose a real public place: a bar, café or terrace that is easy to find.
- Set the date, the time and the number of seats. Three to five is a good size for drinks.
- Pick who pays; “pay your own” is the usual choice.
- Optionally limit who can join, for example by gender or age range.
- Post the plan and read each request’s short note before accepting or declining.
- Use the group chat to confirm the meeting point, and confirm “we met” afterwards.
Tips for your first drinks plan
- Keep it short. Say “one or two drinks” in the plan so nobody feels committed to a long night.
- Pick an early slot. An early-evening start is easier to fit around work and makes getting home simple.
- Choose somewhere you can talk. A quiet terrace or café beats a loud club for meeting people for the first time.
- Arrive on time. Being at the meeting point when the plan starts makes it easy for guests to find the group.
- Say hello in the group chat first. A quick message before the plan breaks the ice and confirms who is coming.
Staying safe on a drinks plan
Safety box. MeetNow plans happen at public places, the host chooses who joins, and anyone can block a user. On any drinks plan with people you have not met before:
- Stay in public and keep the plan at the place you agreed.
- Watch your drink and do not leave it unattended.
- Tell a friend where you are going, who with and when you expect to be home.
- Arrange your own way home before you go out: check the bus times on Malta Public Transport or plan a taxi, and never drive after drinking.
- Leave if you feel uncomfortable, without needing to explain.
You need to be of legal drinking age to be served alcohol in Malta, and bars and clubs can set their own entry rules, so bring ID.
Other ways to meet people for drinks in Malta
MeetNow is one option, not the only one. Language exchanges, sports clubs, volunteering groups and workplace socials also often end at a bar. Whatever route you take, the same principles apply: a public place, a clear time, and your own way home. For more plan types beyond drinks, see how MeetNow works for meeting people in Malta.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to drink alcohol on a drinks plan?
No. A drinks plan can be coffee, juice or mocktails. If you are hosting, say so in the plan so guests know there is no pressure to drink.
Who pays for drinks on MeetNow?
The host chooses one of four options shown on the plan: host pays, split, pay your own, or free. For drinks, pay your own is usually the simplest choice.
How many people should a drinks plan have?
Three to five people is a comfortable size for drinks with new people: small enough to talk, big enough that conversation keeps going.
Where should a drinks plan take place?
At a real public place that is easy to find, such as a bar, café or terrace in a busy area like Valletta, Sliema or St Julian’s.
Can I choose who joins my drinks plan?
Yes. As the host you read each person’s short note and profile and accept or decline. You can also limit who can join, for example by gender or age range.
Want to turn this into an actual plan? MeetNow is a free app for meeting people in person: a host posts a plan at a public place, says who pays (host pays, split, pay your own or free) and picks who joins. It is live on the web now, starting in Malta, with the phone apps on the way: open MeetNow and see the plans near you.
